66 THE WONDERS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



after a lapse of several hours their sense is so acute that they will follow it with the greatest precision 

 and, on this account, they are frequently used in Africa for the purpose of tracing an enemy to his 

 place of concealment. 



A most extraordinary instance of this occurred in the New Forest, in 1810, on the authority of the 

 late Right Hon. G. H. Rose. A person in getting over a stile into a field near the forest, remarked 

 that there was blood upon it : immediately afterwards he recollected that some deer had been killed, and 

 several sheep stolen in the neighbourhood, and that this might possibly be the blood of one that had 

 been killed on the preceding night. The man went to the nearest lodge to give information, but the 

 keeper being from home he was under the necessity of going to Rhinefield Lodge, which was at a 

 considerable distance. Toomer, the under-keeper, went with him to the place, accompanied by a blood- 

 hound. The dog, when brought to the spot, was laid on the scent, and after following for about a 

 mile the tract which the depredator had taken, he came at last to a heap of furze fagots belono-ino- 

 to the family of a cottager. The woman of the house attempted to drive the dog away, but was 

 prevented, and on the fagots being removed a hole was discovered in the ground, which contained the 

 body of a sheep that had been recently killed, and also a considerable quantity of salted meat. The 

 circumstance which renders this account the more remarkable is, that the dog was not brought to the 

 scent until more than sixteen hours had elapsed after the man had carried away the sheep. 



Mr. Bennett, speaking of these animals, says, " They are in fact, both for symmetry and action, 

 perfect models ; and there are few sportsmen who will not regret that there appears no chance of 

 crossing our own pointers with this interesting breed : a mixed race, combining the qualifications of 

 both, would unquestionably be one of the most valuable acquisitions to our sporting stock. 1 ' 



Their generic character differs very little from that of the common dog, having six cutting-teeth in 

 the upper jaw, and those at the sides are longer than the intermediate ones, which are lobated. In the 

 under jaw there are also six cutting-teeth, the lateral ones being also lobated. They have four canine 

 teeth, one on each side, both above and below, with six or seven grinders. 



Various attempts have been made to induce them to breed in this country, by associating , with 

 them native dogs of different species, but every attempt has hitherto proved abortive, nor have they 

 evinced any disposition to perpetuate their own race in their present place of confinement. 



They are of a dark sandy colour, with scarcely any intermixture of white, and considering their lono- 

 confinement, a duration of rather more than three years, the)' appear in excellent health and condition. 

 In disposition a great difference is manifest between the males and females, the latter being much 

 more surly and ferocious than the former, testifying their dislike at the approach of a stranger by 

 snarling and barkins;. 



It is generally supposed that the blood-hounds which are found in the West India Islands, and 

 particularly in the island of Cuba, were originally of the same breed as those which are now under 

 our consideration, but being there acclimated, they breed in a state of domestication, and are used by 

 the officers called Chasseurs, whose business it is to traverse the country with their blood-hounds, in 

 pursuit of all persons guilty of murder or other crimes, and no activity on the part of the offenders 

 can enable them to escape. 



